Category: Memories and Nostalgia

Brockway Mountain Views, on Hold for Now

Published May 7, 2026

Memories and Nostalgia

The Keweenaw County Road Commission warned us this week that Brockway Mountain Drive is temporarily closed for spring clean up, to cut and remove the tree branches that fell during our many spring storms. While this particular view from atop Brockway Mountain, courtesy of the Michigan Tech University Archives Oversize Postcard Collection, will have to wait until the cleanup concludes, there are plenty of other scenic vistas to enjoy.

When you come back north to visit the Copper Country, where do you like to soak up the best views? Let us know in the comments!

Circa 1951, wo people stand on the roadside atop Brockway Mountain overlooking Lake Superior. — Circa 1951, two people stand on the roadside atop Brockway Mountain overlooking Lake Superior.

About the Archives

The Michigan Technological University Archives and Copper Country Historical Collections houses a wide variety of print, graphic and manuscript resources related to the history and culture the Copper Country and Michigan Technological University. If you would like to research in the archives, appointments are available from 1-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Appointments may be requested by calling (906) 487-2505 or by filling out the request form on the archives website. If you have any questions regarding archives services, collections, or remote research help, please reach out to (906) 487-2505 or e-mail us at copper@mtu.edu. The Michigan Tech Archives can also be found on Facebook (Michigan Tech Archives), Instagram (@michigantecharchives), and X (@mtuarchives).

Goodbye Snow, Hello Spring

Published March 4, 2026

By Jordan Shawhan

Memories and Nostalgia

The upcoming weather is promising moderate to severe snow melting, which means spring is on the way! As the temperatures change, so do the conditions on campus, as this Spring Fling picture from 2000 indicates. Mud volleyball for all!

What was your favorite campus or off-campus activity when the weather warmed up and the days got longer? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Archives

Frozen Fun

Published February 9, 2026

By Morgan Laajala

Memories and Nostalgia

As winter carries on, winter sports and recreation are in full swing. Michigan Tech students have been lucky that when the snow won’t stop and the lakes and ponds freeze over, there is still plenty to entice you to go outside. In addition to on-campus fun like broomball and skiing or snowboarding at Mt. Ripley, the tradition of big lake ice fishing has been a favorite through the decades. This image from The Daily Mining Gazette Photograph Collection from February 1966 shows ice fishing on L’Anse Bay on Lake Superior. Did you ever go ice fishing when you were at Tech? What was your most memorable catch? Let us know in the comments!

Glimpses of Snowy Themes and Festive Scenes

Published January 5, 2026

By Jordan Shawhan

Memories and Nostalgia

As we prepare for Winter Carnival 2026, we’re excited to share a preview of the upcoming University Archives display that will be featured during the Alumni Social + Winter Carnival Exhibit on Saturday, February 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Including the special limited-time display, the event will feature coffee, donuts, and will be staffed by Michigan Tech’s Office of Alumni Engagement, the University Archives, and current student members of the Blue Key Honor Society.

Be sure to take time to view the Archives display, titled “Snowy Themes and Festive Scenes: Photos and Memorabilia of Carnivals Gone By,” which will feature photographs, memorabilia, and Winter Carnival pictorials. Images like this statue construction scene from 1974 will adorn the tables in the library’s East Reading Room and an archivist will be on hand to answer questions.

If you have a favorite Winter Carnival memory to share, or can help tell the tale of this photo, let us know in the comments!

About the Archives

Memories at Mont Ripley

Published November 24, 2025

By Jordan Shawhan

Memories and Nostalgia

Do you remember your first trip up (or down) Mont Ripley?

There is a hint of snow in the air, offering hope that Mont Ripley will soon be open. This vintage image from winter 1958 features Michigan Tech ski coach Fred Lonsdorf and his daughter Lynn on the slopes. A familiar face on the ski hill in the mid 20th century, Lonsdorf was respected by all who came to learn from him. His best advice: “Get out and practice!”

Did you ever take a ski lesson from Fred? Share your favorite Mont Ripley memories with us in the comments!

About the Archives

Remember the Rocket Range?

Published November 4, 2025

By Jordan Shawhan

Memories and Nostalgia

Have you ever seen a rocket launch from the tip of the Keweenaw? Or hiked out to the site where it all happened?

Tucked away at the northernmost point of the Keweenaw Peninsula—accessible for those with the inclination to get out there—lies a memorial plaque where NASA rockets once soared into the sky. The Keweenaw Rocket Range, part of project WEBROC, was active through the 1960s until it was decommissioned in 1971 and the land was transferred to Michigan Tech.

But it wasn’t all high-powered launches, research, and data collection. Life at the rocket range and the Michigan Tech Keweenaw Field Station had its everyday moments too. This photo from the Michigan Tech Archives captures a chilly November day in 1965, with Lenard Williams and Mike Brian taking a brief pause to warm up a cup of coffee before getting back to their research. The image is one of several connected to the Keweenaw Rocket Range and project WEBROC.

Do you remember ever seeing a launch? Have you made the trek to the site? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments!

A chilly November day in 1965 shows two men warming up a spell of coffee outside their Michigan Tech work truck before going back to work. — Lenard Williams and Mike Brian, in November 1965, warming up a spell of coffee outside their Michigan Tech work truck before getting back to their research.

About the Archives

The Art of Scheduling Classes

Published October 9, 2025

By Jordan Shawhan

Memories and Nostalgia

Fall midterms are over, and the academic calendar marches on toward finals week. Yet, we can’t forget to look ahead—because spring enrollment waits for no one!

This flashback image to October 1994 from the University Archives shows students in the enrollment area preparing for the next trimester. The battle in the scheduling arena took many forms, and rumors of line trades, bribes, and class swaps still echo in the Archives. Who else remembers the thrill (and chaos) of class scheduling week?

Share your favorite scheduling story in the comments—and let us know which class was worth all the effort to get into!

A photo from October 1994 showing students standing in line waiting to schedule classes for the upcoming semester

About the Archives

5 Years Later: Things I Learned at Michigan Tech

Published September 4, 2025

By Jordan Shawhan

Memories and Nostalgia

The fall semester has arrived and campus is buzzing with the start of a new school year. It’s the perfect time to revisit and celebrate the fifth anniversary of one of our all-time favorite posts, Things I Learned at Michigan Tech.

Because some things you really have to experience to understand, Things I Learned at Michigan Tech is an inspired collection of Tech wisdom, laugh-out-loud memories, and heartfelt comments from Huskies around the world.

Take a moment to dive back in, enjoy the memories, and join us as we kick off a new semester by sharing your own nuggets of Tech wisdom in the comments.

What’s one thing YOU learned at Michigan Tech that’s stuck with you?

Reminiscent of campus today, this photo from the 1970s era featuring the EERC Tree remains undated. Can you help the Michigan Tech Archives identify which year the photo was taken?
*Photo courtesy of the Archives’ MTU Campus Scenes Vertical Photo File.*

About the Archives

Travel Tales: Campus Bound for the Fall Semester

Published August 7, 2025

By Jordan Shawhan

Alumni

Huskies, start your engines!

Reunion is behind us, and fall is almost here, so students will be heading to campus for the first time or returning to Houghton in full force over the next few weeks. Many students rely on the open road to get back to campus, but travel to the University for fall classes takes many forms—from prop planes to fast cars and motorcycles to the good old bus line.

When you were returning to fall classes, how did you arrive in style for day one of the semester or trimester? Let us know in the comments!

About the Archives

Alumni Reunion 2025: Honored Class Year Slideshow

Published August 4, 2025

By Jordan Shawhan

Reunion

Last weekend, Michigan Tech celebrated Alumni Reunion 2025, bringing together graduates from a variety of decades, including our honored class years: 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2015. The following photos were displayed in a slideshow at various events throughout the weekend. We invite you to explore the slideshow below and relive the special moments that have shaped our Michigan Tech community.

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